The one bad thing about a treadmill is that they can be extremely hard on the floor and if you have expensive hardwood the last thing you want is your vibrating treadmill leaving scratches and scars. If this is your case what is the best solution is to purchase a treadmill mat. A treadmill mat is used between the treadmill and the floor and is especially designed to cushion the action of the motor and dampen the vibration of the treadmill, which is what causes damage to the floor.
Treadmill floor mats are used to protect the floor from much more than things like vibration. All motors have fluid leaks from time to time and motor oil can severely damage many different types of flooring. These machines also collect other types of grime, dirt and debris which can go under the machine and act nearly like sandpaper. If the damage gets bad enough you will have to foot the bill for sometimes very expensive cleanings or even damage repairs. Treadmill mats can limit the amount of damage and, depending on the brand of treadmill and type of flooring they can even eliminate it all together, saving you what can amount to thousands of dollars if you have to pay to clean, repair or replace expensive flooring.
Another advantage of using a treadmill mat is that it will actually extend the life of your device by absorbing the vibrations within the machine itself. The mat also protects the internal components from stray carpet fibers or other tiny debris that make slip inside and do damage. Many users think that using a carpet to soften the vibration will make a difference and they are right. It will make a bad difference. The machine will eventually absorb carpet fibers and the carpet itself will be damaged, forcing you to spend your hard earned money to replace it.
How much you spend on your treadmill floor mat will depend on the size required. This means not only the length and width but the thickness also. The standard mat is about 6.5´x 3´and about ¼” thick. The more expensive the treadmill is the larger it will be and this will require a much larger mat to fully protect your floor. And if you have a larger machine, which will create more vibration and is heavier, you will want to increase the thickness by about ½” or more.
